Time magazine Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs borrowed a page from her predecessor and used a Chris Christie cover to stir controversy after the New Jersey governor’s landslide re-election victory.

Some critics thought the new issue that hits newsstands Friday delivered a gut punch — literally. The cover featuring Christie’s face in profile with the headline, “The Elephant in the Room,” struck some as commentary on Christie’s waistline.

“Twitter is not amused by Time’s Chris Christie ‘Elephant’ cover,” said @Mediaite.

But there were others, including Business Insider’s Michael Kelley, who applauded Time for pulling off a “brilliant triple entendre.”

“The newly re-elected New Jersey governor is currently the premier Republican candidate, he’s a large presence, and he’s making his entire party uncomfortable with the way he’s crushing it,” Kelley wrote.

Gibbs defended the treatment, saying the magazine “never set out to be mean or offend anyone.”

“[Christie] doesn’t seem to take his appearance too seriously,” she added. “He can poke fun at himself. Remember when he went on David Letterman last year with the donut?”

For Time, it is the second Christie cover to stir controversy in less than a year. In January, Gibbs’ predecessor, Rick Stengel, drew fire when Time ran a double-entendre cover with Christie and the words “The Boss.”

Some felt it was a tribute to Christie’s musical idol Bruce Springsteen, while critics thought it was more evocative of Tony Soprano and Italian-American stereotypes linked to the mafia.

Christie rolled with the punches that time, but there was no word from his camp this go-round.

Gibbs, meanwhile, is expected to announce two key appointments as early as Friday. Michael Duffy, a political insider and one-time Washington bureau chief, and Radhika Jones, who has overseen the Time 100 issues, are both moving up to deputy managing editors. Both are currently executive editors.

Lunch with Stormin’

In the other Time Inc. related intrigue, outgoing Editor-in-Chief Martha Nelson broke bread at media hot spot Michael’s with “Stormin” Norman Pearlstine, a former Time Inc. EIC who is returning to the company in a new role as chief content officer.

Time Inc. is eliminating the EIC position and making the content chief the new top dog — something Nelson had no interest in whatsoever.

The lunch was “cordial,” according to one eyewitness, but the pair did not linger over cappuccinos once the meal was done.

Nelson had reason not to linger, as she was being feted with a farewell “pour” back at the Time & Life Building Thursday afternoon.